It’s Sunday, which means we’ve got a roundup of the hottest songs that you need to be listening to. In this week’s instalment of What’s Going On, check out the latest from JID, Skip Marley, Lil Tecca, and Jean-Michel Jarre. All that, plus the Elton John and Britney Spears duet. As always, if you dig what you hear, be sure to stream and follow the artists.
Elton John & Britney Spears – The collaboration everyone has been waiting for with bated breath is finally here. The news that Sir Elton John would be working with Britney Spears on a new dance take on his 1972 classic “Tiny Dancer” immediately set listeners into a frenzy, either out of genuine excitement or morbid curiosity. “Hold Me Closer” doesn’t stray too far from the successful formula that made “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” with Dua Lipa a hit and serves as a formidable first comeback effort for a newly free Britney. Speaking on how thrilled she was to work with Elton, Britney Spears says: “I was so honored when the incredible Sir Elton John asked me to join him on one his most iconic songs. We are so excited for the fans to hear it! Thank you, Elton, for having me! I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to work with you and your legendary mind.” Give it a listen and let us know what you think about it.
Listen to Elton John & Britney Spears’ new single “Hold Me Closer” below.
JID – East Atlanta’s JID dropped The Forever Story, his eagerly anticipated third studio album. The project boasts a star-studded roster of collaborators ranging from rap luminaries 21 Savage, Lil Wayne, and Lil Durk to R&B sensation Ari Lennox. Brilliant Canadian artists BADBADNOTGOOD and Mustafa The Poet also appear. If the social media response is anything to go by, thanks to the Dreamville Records artist’s fleet-footed flow and expert storytelling, The Forever Story has not only resonated with JID’s loyal cult following but has more casual listeners proclaiming it an album of the year contender. You can catch JID on tonight’s 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, where he’ll be performing and is nominated along with Imagine Dragons in Best Alternative Video for their collaboration “Enemy.”
Listen to JID’s “Dance Now” ft. Kenny Mason below.
Skip Marley – GRAMMY® Award nominated performer Skip Marley is keeping the good vibes going with this new single “Jane” featuring Afropop singer Arya Starr. What’s “Jane” all about? The feel-good jam is the quintessential late summer track and plays well to the strengths of both artists. Marley says: “‘Jane’ is really about finding that thing in your life to keep you balanced and free from stress. It was a good common ground for Ayra and I to instantly connect and set the vibe.” If you can’t get enough, Skip Marley will be kicking off his headlining CHANGE TOUR here in Toronto on September 21.
Listen to Skip Marley’s new single “Jane” ft. Ayra Starr below.
Jean-Michel Jarre – Electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre will be releasing his 22nd studio album Oxymore on October 21, created in homage to the late composer Pierre Henry. As the first taste of what’s to come from the new project, we’ve got the first single “Brutalism.” Unrelenting and audacious, the track sonically paints a dystopian landscape. Explaining the sound of “Brutalism”, Jarre says: “That’s definitely a heavier track. I wanted to create an apocalyptic mood. Like a kind of big bang of Berlin techno, at the beginning when it was an explosion, that kind of feel, maybe due to the remains of the war.”
Listen to Jean-Michel Jarre’s new single “Brutalism” below.
Lil Tecca – He’s still so young but Lil Tecca has already made a significant impact on the music world. Already a multi-platinum artist and with well over 8 billion streams, Tecca is only going to keep getting bigger. Just a few weeks ago, the New York rapper released his song “Faster” to widespread praise and now he dropped his new single “Tressha” to celebrate his 20th birthday. “Tressha” has an infectious fast and furious pace. Lil Tecca’s agile flow more than keeps up, unloading a full clip of catchy yet evocative bars. After the one-two punch of “Faster” and “Tressha”, there’s definitely going to be more new music dropping soon from Lil Tecca.
Listen to Lil Tecca’s new single “Tressha” below.
